Pray-reading: refs. include Witness Lee, Watchman Nee

Our view of the Bible determines and guides our approach to it. It is therefore essential that we see that the Bible, as the Word of God, has not only a physical dimension, but also an inner essence. The essence of the Bible is not teachings, prophecies, or morality. Rather, the essence of the Bible is the divine breath (2 Timothy 3:16), the spiritual milk (1 Peter 2:2), the bread of life (Matthew 4:4), spirit and life (John 6:63), and Christ—God Himself (John 1:1) (Knowledge 16-17). Thus, when we pray-read the Word we touch its essence, whereby we receive the Word as our food, drink, and breath. Concerning receiving the essence of the Bible, Witness Lee writes:

As human beings we have a physical body outwardly, but inwardly we have a spirit and a soul [See Tripartite Man]. Our person is composed not mainly of the outward part, the body, but of the inward parts, the spirit and the soul. The principle is the same with the Bible. The Bible has not only a “body” of letters in black and white; it also has a spirit, because it is God-breathed. If in reading the Bible we exercise only our mind to study it, we shall not receive the life supply….We thank the Lord for showing us that in reading the Word we need to exercise our eyes, our mind, and our spirit. (Second Timothy 53-54)

The Bible has not only a “body” of letters in black and white; it also has a spirit, because it is God-breathed.

When we come to the Word of God, we need to open our entire being. We need to use our whole being, our body, soul, and spirit. We use our eyes to read the words and our mouth to sound out the words. We also use our mind, the main part of the soul, to understand what we read. We may need to use lexicons, concordances, and different versions and translations. God created us with a mind, and we need to use it in understanding the Word of God. The study of the Bible also requires the exercise of our emotion to love the Word and the exercise of our will to take God’s way in His Word. This exercise of the mind, emotion, and will is the exercise of the soul. But we also need to exercise our spirit. Primarily this is to pray so that our inner man may be strengthened. If we use our whole being in contacting the Word, we shall receive light and life supply. (Exodus 2:699-700)